Sectional illuminated sign



Dec. 9, 1930. a. A. MORTON 1,784,677

SBGTIONAL ILLUIINATED SIGN File d Aug. 15. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l 7r I 77 [Z 4 7 l v I T TNJENETQ f; I g I (g 273/00)? /Z Marion I Y W wir wawfmq rs ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 9 1930. B. A. MORTON SEGTIONAL' ILLUMINATED SIGN 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 15, 1928 innh- INVTO Benjam/n A. M07282? H/I ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 9, 1930. B. A. MORTON 1,784,677

SECTIONAL ILLUMINATED SIGN Filed Aug. 15, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet s lZa INVENTOR I Belg/am??? 4, Marion HIS ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 9, 1930 PATENT OFFICE BENJA IN A. MORTON, on NEW YORK, n. Y.

SECTIONAL ILLUMINATED SIGN Application filed fiugust 15, 1928, Serial No.299,715.

The invention of this application relates to display signs, particularly of the kind that are supported on the tops of buildings along popular thoroughfares.

It is a well known fact-that large illuminated signs do not make an effective display in the day time, but are disfiguring rather than otherwise. The cost and labor of setting up signs of this kind are such, however,

19 that it does not payto take them down during the day and set them upat night, so that as a general thing the advertising value of the space is utilized only in the evening.

Painted signs lighted indirectly are ell'eetive in the day time, but are not as striking at night as electrical signs madeupor" illuminated letters, and notwithstanding the fact that the advertising value in the day time is practically nil, signs of illuminated letters are very largely used. r i

The primary object of my invention is to provide a sign which will constitute an attractiveilluminated sign at ni ht butwhich may with little labor be converted into an attractive sign when viewed by daylight.

My improved sign is not confined in its use to the tops of buildings and the like, but is readily adapted for use as part-of a building structure, either of a specially constructed 5 building or of an adjunct 'to buildings already constructed. "In some localities the value of the walls of the buildings along the streets is worth more for display advertising than the rent of the rooms; This is particularly true of the rooms immediately abovethe street floor which are not so desirable for office space. In such buildings the windows of the lower floors are frequently completely purposes where light and air are not required. By means of my improved sign structure the sign may be set up at night when thevalue of the space for advertidin'g is greatest, and

be moved away from in front of the windows dows;

covered with signs so that the space within such floors 1s rented only for storage or other.

buildings, the sign forminga movable wall surface for the building either across the en 1 tire face of the building or around the win- Inthe accompanying drawings I have illus- 55 trated several different modifications of my improved sign structure. In said drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective View of my improved sign as designed for installation on top of a building; n v 69 Fig.2 is a perspective view of one of the sign units; I

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on a large scale of one of the sign units;

Fig: 4 is a horizontal section on line H of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a perspective vi'ewshowing the rear of the sign;

F ig., 6 is a detail view on a large scale showing the corner support of the sign unit;

Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views showing one of the wedges for holding the sign unit in place;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view at right angles to Fig. 7 showing thelocking means for locking another row of sign units in place; 7

Figs. 10 and 11 are diagrammatic Views showing the arrangement of'my improved sign in conjunction with a building so as to allow the windows to be clear in the day time;

F lg. 12 is a vertical sectional view showing my improved sign as installed as part of a building wall and l i V Fig. 13 isa horizontal sectional view on line 13-13of Fig. 12. I

Referring-to the drawings, primarily to the new sign structure illustrated in Figs. 1 6 inclusive, 1 indicates one of my sign units which consists of a large oblong frame composed of light structural. steel. For example, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4C, the units may be composed of four outside vertical steel angles 2 and four inside vertical angles 3 at the vertical corners, while the ends are formed of four horizontal steel angles at and 5'a't the bottom and top, respectively, the ends of the horizontal angles being riveted between the. two'vertical angles at each corner. Interior diagonal br'aces'fi may be providedfif desired.

As shown in Fig. 6, each unit is provided on its end faces at each corner with a ballor roller 7 whereby it may be readily rolled about. The units may be of any desired size which will be largely determined by the dimensions of the space available in each installation. If the sign is merely one or two words in large display letters, each unit may carry a single letter, but there is no necessary relation between the number of letters and the number of units, the idea being to provide with the units a continuous display surface, each unit to carry such part of the sign as falls on the surface provided by that unit. i

The several sign units are mounted in-a frame, also preferablycomposed of structural steel. *Asshown, the front of the frame consists of upper and lower horizontal angles 8 and 9, respectively, the top and two ends being formed of plates 10 and 11 riveted to the angles 8 and 9 and suitable structural angles at the corners of the end faces. The bottom wall of the frame is composed of a wide plate 12 whose front portion underlies the plate 10 forming the frame proper for the units, while the rear portion projects beyond the rest of the frame to provide a stage on which the units may be readily manipulated for turning around to substitute the illuminated face for the painted or daylight face or forchanging the matter displayed on the sign, etc.

To facilitate the turning of the units, short track sections 13 are provided at the points where the side faces of the units contact with GEIChIOlZhQI and in addition a stop or guide track 14 consisting of curved segmentsback of each unit is provided so that the attendant in reserving the sign hasmerely to pull the unit to the rear,-after loosening its fastenings, as will be later described, and then give the unit a half turn while holding the rollers lightly in contactwith the curved guide rail. VJ hen the corners of the opposite face are brought in line with the track sections13 the unit may be shoved into place again and will be guided accurately in between the two adjacent units.

As stated above, it is "desirable that the units be maintained in elosely adjacent position so as to form in effecta single unitary surface. To this end I have devised fastening means for holding each unit effectively in place, but 'which will not lie between the units or interferewith their free manipulation. As shown in Fig. 7 this locking means consists-primarily; of a locking block 15 attached to a handle 16 pivotally supported on the upper wall at the junction of each two ad jacent sign units designed when elevatedto release both units, and when depressed by raising the handle to clamp the two against the angle 8 forming the top front member of the frame. The block 15 on the handle 16 may be shifted to one side'or-the other so as to lock only one block in case it is neces sary on account of high wind or for other reasons to lock 1n place the adjacent unlts while one unit is bemg shifted.

A similar wedge lever 17 is provided in spaced apart just sufficiently to be freelymovable when the wedges are released, and in such case the above described fastening means- 1s sufiicient to hold them in place. If

desired, however, supplemental means may be provided for forcing the units laterally in contact with eachother so that the lines between the units will be barely visible. I have illustrated suitable means for this purpose in Fig. 9. As'here shown wedges 20 are provided on the inside of each end plate 11 at the top and bottom, the wedges cooperating with pins 21 provided at the top and bottom of vertically adjustable rods or bars 22. The bars are attached at their lower ends to foot levers 23 by means of which they may be forced downwardly, whereby the pins 21 working on the inclined surfaces of the fixed wedges 20 force the bars inwardly against the units. The bars 22 preferably do not engage the faces of the unit directly, but each carries a second bar 24 which is connected to the bar 22 by means of side clips 25 to permit a relative sliding movement of the two bars. Ant-ifriction balls are interposed between the two bars so that they may move freely with respect to each other. A pawl 27 may also be provided for holding the bar 22 down in locked position.

As will be observed in Fig. 6, the supporting balls at the top and bottom of the units and lower clamps 15 and 17 of the first block which also releases the adjacent corner of the second unit. He then draws the first unlt out ofline and turns it around within the space marked the guide rail 14 and push'esit back in place. If the dayis particularly windythe second unit may be locked while the first one is being turned by merely shifting the wedge 16 to one side so as toengage the second unit, but leave the space for the first unit clear. 7 3 Ordinarilythisis not necessary, the fastening at the corner adjacent the third unit being sufiicient to hold the second unit while No. 1 is beingturned. Thus each unit is turned around and locked backin place to change the entire front of the sign from illuminated to plain, or vice versa, as the case may be. Very little time is requiredfor the operation of changing the sign as the units may be made quite large and still be readily handled by one man. Units may, for example, be six feet or niorein height, and say sections 33 attached in a similar manner to the corner angles 2 at the rear wall of the unit.

Additional signs may be provided on the side walls of the units and as these walls are preferably left smooth so that the units may be closely clamped together, these sides may conveniently be formed of glass plates as, 35,

set in the space between the outer and inner corner angles 2 and 3 with a transparent sign on film or glass between the glass'plates an and 35. An internal light 36 as indicated in Fig. 3 may be provided to illuminate the signs.

Any suitable means may be provided for transmitting currentto the light bulbs 31 and the interior light 36. As a half turn is all that is required for adjusting the units to change the sign, an ordinary flexible cable may be employed, or brushes may be set in the floor or top plate of the sign frame for engagement with contacts carried by the blocks positioned to come in proper registry with the brushes when the units are pushed into place. The electrical connections to be employed form no part of my present invention and are therefore not illustrated in detail.

In Figs. 10 and 11 T have illustrated an arrangement of my improved sign in conjunction with the wall of a building in order to permit the windows to be clear in. the day time when the building is ordinarily used for commercial purposes, and'covered with the sign at night when its outer surface is most valuable for display purposes. As here shown the bottom plate of the sign forms a balcony floor immediately beneath the level of the window sill, while the upper wall 10 lies above the top of the window. I

The same arrangement of locking levers and wedges may be provided asin the first described construction. 'The tracks 13, however, on the platform 12, are preferably omitted so that the units immediately in front of the windows may be drawn inwardly out of line with the other units and pushed over back of such units as are not in front of the windows of the building. In this type of sign the walls of the units which are visible in the day time when the windows are exposed may carry legends forming complete separate signs, while the sides. for night display utilize the whole area of the sign.

In Figs. 12 and 13 l have shown an arrangement of sign units as part of the wall structure of a building; for example, a factory building may utilize a large portion of the wall surface which is not taken up with windows, with sign units in the manner shown.- Such units are preferably of re'ctan gular, rather than square, cross section, so as to be no thicker than the wall, and the guide tracks employed may be omitted so as notto interfere with the free use ofthe entire floor area. In order that the wall maybe completely" weather-tight, the narrow faces of the sign units 40 are provided with metallic or rubber weather stripping ell and the 1nner face of the flanges as forming the front frame of the sign may be similarly provided with weather-stripping 4L3 so that when the sign units are in place they may be clamped together by the end clamps 22 and individually clamped against the sign frame by the wedges 15 and 17, and the structure will be completely weather-tight.

My removablesign units may be used with advantage in building the entire walls of buildings which are utilized for si n purposes only. Such buildings may e constructed of ordinary structural steel framework with the sign units covering the entire surface; I i

It will of course be understood that the mechanical details of my improved sign may be. variously modified. Various different mechanisms may be employed for holding the units in place, particularly where the units f'ormfpart of; the wall structure'of the building. Insuch case it may he more convenient to lock the'whole groupof units in place by clamping bars across the back, or other suitable mechanism. Inthe larger outdoor signs, .however, it is preferable to have individual clamps .for the separate units so that only one unit at a time may be loose.

My invention lends itself readily to large electric signshaving a large number of individual bulbs,'where the failure of one bulb here and there is an almost daily occurrence. To replace bulbs in myimproved sign it, is

only necessary to release the particular unit containing the burned out'bulb and turn the unit around to replace the bulb, whichmay be done in the space of a few minutes.

The term display sign used in the'foregoingspecification and appended claims is not; ntended to include within its scope such "ill iac

members having a plurality of display faces,

means for separately supporting said signbearing members in saidframe, said frame having a portion adjacent'each unit upon which said unit may be moved out of said frame andturned to present a different surface in the face of said sign, said portion having means thereon for guiding each unit while being manipulated and means for locking the display members in place in said frame.

'3. In a display sign the combination of a supporting frame, a plurality of sign-bearin g members each havingfa plurality of display faces individually movable into and out of place in said frame, means whereby said members may be turned to present a different surface for display and independent means for locking said several display members in place whereby one member at a time may be left free.

4. In a display sign the combination of 'a frame, a plurality of display members mounted in said frame and forming the signbearing portion thereof. each of said members comprising a boxaike structurehaving antifriction support-mg members at lts corners whereby it may be freely moved, a platindividual sign-bearing units supported in said frame in engagement Withsaid flanges, means for clamping said units in said frame comprising members at the ends of said frame for pressing said. units together, and individual clamping devices for the separate units for holding them in engagement with the flanges of the frame.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

.7 BENJAMIN A. MORTON.

form attached to said frame to the rear of the position of said unitswhen in sign-forming position in said frame, and means for releasably clamping said units 1n place 1I1'Sc1-1Cl frame whereby when released the individual units may be shifted to said platform and there turned to present a different surface in the display face of said sign.

5. In a display sign the'combination of a frame having upper and lower members presenting parallel opposed surfaces, a plurality of individual sign-bearing members supported in said frame between saidsurfaces, said meinbers having on their upper and lower faces-bearings adapted to engage the surfaces of said frame members, the flower frame member having a portion presenting means for releasably clamping said sign=bearing members in said frame, whereby when released the individual members maybe pulled out of said frame onto the said extension and there turned to present a different surface in the display face of said sign. 1

I 6. In a display sign the combination of-a frame having flanges at the top-and bottom,

an extension of its supporting surface, and 

